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: racket · current · fork · bear · wake · rush

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. current — happening now
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — electric
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. current — of water
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bear — the animal

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