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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. march — the month
  3. pit — a hole
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. current — happening now
  11. pit — in a race
  12. march — the month
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. face — to point toward
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. face — part of the head
  18. march — music
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. current — of water
  22. bat — the animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. wax — to grow

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