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

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. suit — clothes
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. march — the month
  11. current — electric
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — a contest
  15. march — the month
  16. bark — to shout
  17. march — music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. current — happening now
  22. stand — to bear
  23. race — humankind
  24. nail — for a hammer

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