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: rule · stock · roll · kid · dip · current · deal · present

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. current — happening now
  7. roll — a list
  8. stock — goods
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stock — shares
  15. rule — government
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. present — there
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rule — a law
  21. present — a gift
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. current — electric
  24. present — the time now

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