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: ruler · firm · bat · foot · current · hide · fine · mate

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fine — all right
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. firm — steady
  5. current — of water
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mate — to breed
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. current — happening now
  16. mate — a partner
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — decided
  19. bat — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. firm — a company
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mate — a friend

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