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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. foot — a measure
  3. race — the arms race
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. cap — of ice
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cap — a hat
  9. race — a contest
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. branch — a division
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. current — happening now
  16. cap — a lid
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. current — of water
  19. race — humankind
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. hand — help
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. branch — of a tree

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