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

Word bank: race · bulb · mine · firm · pitcher · face · current · fork

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. firm — steady
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. race — the arms race
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. current — happening now
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. face — to confront
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bulb — for light
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — electric
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. current — of water
  20. fork — in a road
  21. face — part of the head
  22. race — a contest
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — for digging

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