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: bowl · wind · staff · current · roll · date

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — of water
  5. staff — employees
  6. roll — a cake
  7. current — happening now
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. current — electric
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. roll — a list
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. staff — a stick
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bowl — a dish

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