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 120 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: land · bear · suit · current · dip · capital · lean · present

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. current — electric
  3. lean — thin
  4. present — the time now
  5. current — of water
  6. present — a gift
  7. capital — a city
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. suit — clothes
  12. current — happening now
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. capital — money
  15. dip — to sink
  16. land — to come down
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — there
  19. land — a country
  20. bear — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bear — the animal
  24. land — ground

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