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: wave · tube · current · fan · key · net · deal · bark

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. tube — the underground
  6. key — in music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. tube — a container
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bark — to shout
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. key — the most important part
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. net — in sport
  23. current — of water
  24. fan — a supporter

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