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: leaves · staff · net · bat · kick · current · bound · jam

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. current — of water
  13. staff — a stick
  14. current — electric
  15. staff — employees
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. kick — in football
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. net — in sport
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bound — tied together
  23. current — happening now
  24. net — after costs

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