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 · bound · mouse · cue · stick · row · spell · calf

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. spell — a short time
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bound — certain
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. row — a line

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