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: current · charge · calf · race · land · wave · nail · kid

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. land — to come down
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. current — of water
  12. land — ground
  13. race — a contest
  14. current — electric
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. current — happening now
  18. kid — to tease
  19. race — the arms race
  20. kid — child
  21. charge — in control
  22. land — a country
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. race — humankind

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