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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. current — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. file — a tool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bat — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. plane — a tool
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. file — a document

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