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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pitch — completely
  3. current — happening now
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. band — a music group
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — humankind
  9. band — a ring
  10. club — a group
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. current — of water
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. season — in sport
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. root — of a plant
  22. race — a contest
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. band — a rubber band

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