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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fine — high quality
  3. dip — to sink
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bass — low music
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. current — of water
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. current — electric
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. snap — to click
  16. bass — the fish
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fine — all right
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. current — happening now
  24. plane — in geometry

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