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

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. root — the cause
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. current — electric
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. current — of water
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. current — happening now
  24. calf — a young animal

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