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

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. current — happening now
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. spell — letters
  5. race — a contest
  6. spell — magic
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. race — humankind
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. current — of water

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