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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. spring — the season
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. spring — of water
  8. current — of water
  9. wind — moving air
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cue — a signal
  13. race — a contest
  14. current — happening now
  15. wind — moving air
  16. key — in music
  17. wake — a trail
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. current — electric
  24. key — the most important part

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