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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. charge — electricity
  3. current — electric
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. firm — steady
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. cap — a lid
  10. charge — in control
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. cold — an illness
  15. current — happening now
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. press — newspapers
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cold — not warm
  24. lie — an untruth

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