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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wind — moving air
  3. season — of the year
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. current — electric
  7. season — in sport
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. kick — in football
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. wind — moving air
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. race — a contest
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stem — to come from

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