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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. current — happening now
  9. rash — a series
  10. ground — a position
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — to get on
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — electric
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. current — of water
  23. ground — the earth
  24. board — a committee

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