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 · wound · lie · pitch · mine · firm · row · rock

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. row — a line
  3. firm — decided
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. current — electric
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mine — for digging
  8. firm — a company
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. current — of water
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — steady
  18. current — happening now
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rock — music

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