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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. current — of water
  9. march — music
  10. firm — a company
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. march — the month
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — decided
  21. lie — to recline
  22. march — the month
  23. wind — moving air
  24. firm — steady

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