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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. race — the arms race
  4. sharp — clever
  5. spring — of water
  6. present — the time now
  7. race — humankind
  8. current — electric
  9. spring — the season
  10. track — a song
  11. present — there
  12. race — a contest
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. current — happening now
  16. present — a gift
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. spring — a coil
  20. track — a path
  21. current — of water
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lash — an eyelash

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