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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — happening now
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — electric
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. current — of water
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. snap — to click
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wake — a trail
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitcher — a jug

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