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 · pitch · straw · lean · rest · mine · bear · stand

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. current — electric
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. current — happening now
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. lean — thin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stand — on your feet

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