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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. current — of water
  3. stock — shares
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stock — goods
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — to bend
  10. present — there
  11. current — electric
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. present — a gift
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. current — happening now
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. present — the time now

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