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 · racket · file · present · trunk · lean · fall · bore

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bore — to tire
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bore — to drill
  5. current — electric
  6. lean — thin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. present — a gift
  11. fall — to drop
  12. file — a line of people
  13. fall — to drop
  14. file — a document
  15. present — there
  16. lean — to bend
  17. present — the time now
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fall — the season
  21. current — happening now
  22. file — a tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — gave birth

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