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 · coach · net · snap · stand · prune · current · cabinet

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. current — electric
  6. prune — to trim
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stand — to bear
  11. snap — to click
  12. net — for catching
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. net — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. current — happening now
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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