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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — of water
  5. kick — in football
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. last — final
  14. saw — the tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. race — humankind
  20. last — finally
  21. race — a contest
  22. foot — a measure
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — happening now

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