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: pop · race · foot · fine · lie · current · tube · lean

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. pop — soda
  2. lie — to recline
  3. race — the arms race
  4. tube — a container
  5. current — happening now
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — thin
  8. fine — all right
  9. race — humankind
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. current — electric
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tube — the underground
  22. race — a contest
  23. pop — music
  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