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: lie · nail · sharp · prune · tube · wound · shower · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tube — a container
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wound — an injury
  15. shower — rain
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. tube — the underground
  18. sharp — clever
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. prune — to trim
  23. shower — to wash
  24. sharp — exactly

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