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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — the underground
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. race — the arms race
  6. content — the amount
  7. drill — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — army training
  10. object — to protest
  11. current — of water
  12. race — humankind
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. drill — a practice
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. perch — the fish
  21. tube — a container
  22. object — an aim
  23. current — happening now
  24. race — a contest

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