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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. current — of water
  3. tear — to rip
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rock — music
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tear — from crying
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. current — happening now
  15. rock — a stone
  16. current — electric
  17. tear — from crying
  18. shower — rain
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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