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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — a phone
  5. current — electric
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cell — in biology
  10. stock — shares
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — of water
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. board — to get on
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. current — happening now
  20. race — humankind
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — goods
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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