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: fan · rush · foot · bear · mark · present · current · calf

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. current — happening now
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — of water
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. present — the time now
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — part of the body

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