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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. current — electric
  4. cold — an illness
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — of water
  7. rash — a series
  8. cold — not warm
  9. rash — hasty
  10. object — a thing
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. object — an aim
  15. mine — for digging
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. current — happening now
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. object — to protest

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