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 116 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 · scale · bass · leaves · face · suit · object · sharp

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. current — electric
  3. bass — the fish
  4. face — part of the head
  5. object — to protest
  6. scale — size or range
  7. face — to confront
  8. current — of water
  9. object — a thing
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — in cards
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. object — an aim
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. scale — in music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. face — to point toward

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