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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. present — a gift
  7. face — part of the head
  8. track — a path
  9. face — to confront
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. track — a song
  16. current — happening now
  17. mark — a trace
  18. present — there
  19. current — of water
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — to keep track
  22. current — electric
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mark — to pay attention

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