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 120 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: straw · mine · stick · cabinet · nail · pass · current · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mine — for digging
  6. current — electric
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pass — a permit
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. current — happening now
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rock — music
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — of water

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