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: pitch · current · bound · wax · bore · tube · squash · cap

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. bound — certain
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bore — to tire
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pitch — completely
  11. current — of water
  12. bound — tied together
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cap — a hat
  15. tube — a container
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wax — to grow

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