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 116 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: bore · lie · prune · wake · safe · press · current · kid

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — to drill
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bore — to tire
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. kid — child
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kid — to tease
  18. current — of water
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — to trim
  21. current — happening now
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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