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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mug — a cup
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — a list
  10. scale — in music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mug — a face
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. pitch — completely
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mug — to rob
  24. roll — on a roll

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