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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. current — electric
  3. race — humankind
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — a video
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rest — a break
  11. current — of water
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bound — tied together
  14. race — a contest
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stock — goods
  18. craft — boats
  19. clip — to cut
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. current — happening now
  23. stock — shares
  24. bound — certain

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