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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rush — hurry
  5. firm — steady
  6. land — to come down
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. mug — a cup
  10. row — a line
  11. firm — decided
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. firm — a company
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mug — a face
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. current — happening now
  19. mug — to rob
  20. key — in music
  21. land — a country
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. land — ground
  24. row — to paddle

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