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: shower · wave · foot · roll · pass · current · bark · scale

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. current — happening now
  3. pass — a permit
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. current — of water
  7. bark — to shout
  8. scale — size or range
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. shower — rain
  11. scale — in music
  12. roll — a cake
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. roll — a list
  21. current — electric
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. roll — on a roll

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