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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. current — electric
  3. root — of a word
  4. spell — a short time
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. current — of water
  10. degree — from a university
  11. spell — magic
  12. root — the cause
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mine — for digging
  16. spell — letters
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. race — the arms race
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. current — happening now
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. race — a contest

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