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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · current · file · calf · pitcher · race · swing · foot

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. race — a contest
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. race — the arms race
  5. file — a tool
  6. race — humankind
  7. spell — letters
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. swing — to play on
  12. current — electric
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. file — a line of people
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. file — a document
  22. spell — a short time
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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