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: pass · rock · net · race · arm · clip · racket · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. net — after costs
  3. rock — a stone
  4. current — electric
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. race — humankind
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. clip — a video
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — of water
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. clip — to cut
  15. rock — music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. net — in sport
  19. race — a contest
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pass — a permit
  23. net — for catching
  24. clip — for paper

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