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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — a path
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. current — happening now
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stock — shares
  8. track — a song
  9. rule — a law
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. lean — to bend
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lean — thin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — of water
  19. rule — government
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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