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: pop · stick · current · perch · capital · spell · stand · kick

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pop — soda
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spell — letters
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. kick — in football
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — the fish
  11. current — happening now
  12. capital — a city
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — of water
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — to bear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pop — music
  24. spell — magic

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