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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. current — electric
  7. rest — what's left
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. wind — moving air
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. rest — what's left
  22. present — the time now
  23. wind — moving air
  24. trunk — of a car

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