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 116 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: fan · calf · mark · object · net · current · present · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. net — for catching
  3. current — of water
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. present — a gift
  6. current — electric
  7. object — an aim
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. net — after costs
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. present — the time now
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. current — happening now
  22. object — a thing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. present — there

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