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 116 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. sharp — clever
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — of water
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. club — for dancing
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. current — happening now
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. club — a group
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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