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: jam · current · racket · fall · drill · cap · roll · face

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. face — to point toward
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fall — to drop
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cap — a hat
  8. fall — to drop
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. drill — a practice
  13. face — to confront
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — part of the head
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. current — electric
  19. cap — of ice
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fall — the season
  24. roll — a list

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