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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pop — soda
  3. current — of water
  4. bound — certain
  5. current — electric
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pop — music
  14. current — happening now
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. track — a song
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. spring — a coil
  24. foot — a measure

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