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: bore · can · rule · current · craft · wave · race · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bore — to tire
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — humankind
  5. rule — a law
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — of water
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. current — happening now
  10. bore — to drill
  11. current — electric
  12. craft — a skill
  13. race — the arms race
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rule — government
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wave — of the sea

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