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: jam · drill · key · stick · race · chest · current · roll

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. key — in music
  3. roll — a list
  4. race — the arms race
  5. current — happening now
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. race — humankind
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. key — for a lock
  12. current — of water
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — a practice
  16. current — electric
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. race — a contest
  22. chest — of your body
  23. roll — a cake
  24. chest — a box

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