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 · key · row · current · tube · bear · bound · object

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bound — tied together
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. current — electric
  9. key — for a lock
  10. tube — the underground
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — obliged
  15. tube — a container
  16. row — a line
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bound — certain
  19. key — in music
  20. roll — a cake
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. roll — a list
  24. object — a thing

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