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: mug · bear · current · leaves · wake · fan · row · present

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — a line
  8. mug — to rob
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — of water
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. present — there
  18. mug — a face
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. present — a gift
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — the time now

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