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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitch — completely
  8. current — happening now
  9. race — humankind
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. content — happy
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — a series
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. current — of water
  22. rash — hasty
  23. race — a contest
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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