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

Word bank: race · wind · foot · bass · current · ruler

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wind — moving air
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bass — low music
  6. foot — a measure
  7. race — a contest
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — happening now
  12. bass — the fish
  13. current — of water
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. foot — part of the body

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