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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. current — happening now
  10. spring — of water
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. current — electric
  15. spring — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. chair — a leader
  22. current — of water
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — a professorship

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