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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mate — a friend
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — a price
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. deal — to handle
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mate — a partner
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — in control
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. charge — electricity
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mate — to breed

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