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: leaves · hide · saw · scale · lash · cold · stock · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. scale — in music
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. saw — the tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cold — an illness

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