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: wake · stock · hand · bat · current · bay · bound · saw

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bound — certain
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bat — the animal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — of water
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. hand — in cards
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — help
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bound — tied together

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