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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. clip — to cut
  6. current — happening now
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. clip — a video
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pitch — completely
  14. scale — in music
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fine — high quality
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. current — electric
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fine — all right

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