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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ball — a dance
  3. current — electric
  4. lie — to recline
  5. prune — to trim
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lean — thin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. race — a contest
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. race — humankind
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — in a race

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