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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. content — happy
  9. dip — to sink
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pass — a permit
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. current — happening now
  16. last — final
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. content — the amount
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. last — to go on
  22. current — of water
  23. last — finally
  24. pass — to succeed

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