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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. chair — a leader
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. charge — electricity
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. charge — a price
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — in control
  20. rash — a series
  21. bulb — for light
  22. current — electric
  23. race — humankind
  24. key — the most important part

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