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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cap — of ice
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cap — a lid
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. present — there
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. chest — of your body
  10. net — after costs
  11. present — a gift
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wax — to grow
  16. present — the time now
  17. chest — a box
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. net — in sport
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cap — a hat
  23. net — for catching
  24. chest — of your body

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