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: present · wind · date · jam · cue · plane · current · arm

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. present — the time now
  6. cue — for pool
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. cue — a hint
  12. present — there
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. present — a gift
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. current — of water
  22. cue — a signal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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