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: rest · key · land · snap · calf · current · jam · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. current — of water
  3. bear — the animal
  4. snap — to click
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. current — electric
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. land — ground
  11. key — for a lock
  12. land — a country
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rest — a break
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. land — to come down
  23. bear — the animal
  24. current — happening now

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