ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stock — goods
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a dance
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stock — shares
  9. squash — the sport
  10. current — electric
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kick — in football
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. squash — to crush
  19. current — happening now
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. calf — of the leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com