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: cue · dip · firm · current · straw · plane · tear · leaves

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. current — happening now
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. firm — a company
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cue — for pool
  12. current — electric
  13. cue — a hint
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. tear — from crying
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cue — a signal
  21. firm — decided
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tear — to rip

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