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: roll · fork · mate · shower · press · present · current · dip

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fork — in a road
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. roll — a list
  5. press — to push
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mate — to breed
  9. press — newspapers
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. mate — a partner
  18. shower — rain
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. present — a gift
  21. dip — to sink
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. roll — a cake
  24. shower — to wash

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