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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wax — to grow
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mate — a partner
  6. kid — child
  7. band — a music group
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. band — a ring
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. current — of water
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cue — a hint
  18. kid — to tease
  19. current — happening now
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — a signal

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