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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. race — a contest
  3. track — a path
  4. current — electric
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. race — humankind
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. race — the arms race
  19. current — happening now
  20. wax — to grow
  21. craft — boats
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chair — a leader
  24. current — of water

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