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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · straw · toast · fan · wind · hide

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wind — moving air
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. toast — bread
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. current — of water
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — electric
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wind — moving air
  18. toast — the most admired

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