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 120 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. file — a document
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bore — to drill
  5. current — happening now
  6. file — a line of people
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. board — to get on
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bore — to tire
  20. current — electric
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. file — a tool

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