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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. kid — child
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kid — to tease
  8. content — the amount
  9. current — of water
  10. swing — music
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. can — a tin
  14. swing — in golf
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. swing — to play on
  20. current — electric
  21. content — happy
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kick — a thrill

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