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 120 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: pound · saw · file · present · rock · deal · temple · current

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. current — of water
  3. rock — music
  4. present — the time now
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pound — a weight
  8. present — there
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. file — a line of people
  23. deal — to handle
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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