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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. current — happening now
  8. race — humankind
  9. hand — help
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. race — a contest
  14. tear — from crying
  15. race — the arms race
  16. tear — to rip
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cell — a phone
  20. current — electric
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. current — of water
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. tear — from crying

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