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: coach · lean · mine · current · plane · court · snap · pass

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. court — for sport
  6. mine — for digging
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lean — thin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — of a king
  17. plane — a tool
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. court — of law
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. current — electric
  23. lean — to bend
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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