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: current · bowl · wave · mug · shower · tube · rock · wound

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. shower — to wash
  3. tube — a container
  4. rock — music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. shower — rain
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. current — electric
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. current — of water
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rock — a stone
  24. current — happening 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