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: bowl · wind · staff · current · roll · date · scale · bear

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. current — of water
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. current — electric
  8. roll — a cake
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bear — the animal
  11. roll — a list
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — size or range
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. current — happening now
  21. staff — employees
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bowl — a dish

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