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: stand · bat · current · spell · object · bay · rock · dip

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rock — a stone
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stand — to bear
  7. object — a thing
  8. bat — the animal
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rock — music
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. current — electric
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spell — a short time
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spell — magic
  23. object — an aim
  24. current — of water

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