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: current · game · present · rush · club · kid · wake · bay

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wake — a trail
  5. kid — child
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. game — wild animals
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. club — for golf
  11. game — a match
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. current — electric
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. current — happening now
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. club — a group
  24. current — of water

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