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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. current — happening now
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — electric
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. can — a tin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — to drill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spell — letters
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. spell — a short time
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. current — of water
  24. spell — magic

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