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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. current — of water
  4. race — humankind
  5. wake — a trail
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — to bear
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cue — a signal
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — happening now
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. race — the arms race
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to click
  23. mate — to breed
  24. game — a kind of play

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