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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. race — humankind
  3. current — electric
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — to visit
  6. race — the arms race
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. race — a contest
  9. cue — a signal
  10. row — to paddle
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. current — happening now
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. row — a line
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pop — music
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. current — of water
  20. pop — soda
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — a horse colour

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