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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. race — a contest
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a dance
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rash — a series
  8. race — humankind
  9. track — to keep track
  10. current — electric
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — happening now
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. current — of water
  22. rash — hasty
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. race — the arms race

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