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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fork — in a road
  3. face — to point toward
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cap — of ice
  7. face — to confront
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pound — a weight
  10. current — of water
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mine — for digging
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wax — to grow
  23. current — happening now
  24. face — part of the head

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