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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ground — the earth
  7. current — of water
  8. key — in music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. game — a match
  12. ground — a position
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. cap — a hat
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — happening now
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cap — a lid
  19. game — wild animals
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. key — the most important part
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lie — to recline
  24. key — for a lock

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