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: current · race · face · pass · lie · pitch · wound · chest

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. current — electric
  4. face — to point toward
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wound — an injury
  10. face — part of the head
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. face — to confront
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. race — a contest
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lie — to recline

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