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 · ruler · board · deal · jam · wind · charge · current

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — a committee
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. current — electric
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. race — humankind
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. current — happening now
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — to get on
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. race — a contest
  24. current — of water

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