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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. current — of water
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mate — a partner
  5. file — a document
  6. fall — to drop
  7. file — a line of people
  8. current — happening now
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. court — of a king
  12. fall — the season
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. court — for sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. branch — a division
  19. file — a tool
  20. current — electric
  21. court — of law
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mate — to breed

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