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: chair · mouse · firm · stick · current · mug · bowl · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chair — a leader
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. firm — steady
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. firm — decided
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mug — a face
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. current — of water
  18. mug — to rob
  19. firm — a company
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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