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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. current — electric
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. last — finally
  6. track — to keep track
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. last — to go on
  21. lie — to recline
  22. track — a song
  23. branch — a division
  24. last — final

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