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 116 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: rule · bat · fall · current · court · wave · bear · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. current — electric
  5. bear — the animal
  6. current — of water
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. court — of law
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fall — to drop
  16. court — for sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. current — happening now
  19. court — of a king
  20. rule — government
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rule — a law
  23. fall — the season
  24. bat — the animal

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