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: bear · patient · cabinet · current · bowl · bass · race · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. race — a contest
  3. current — electric
  4. pound — a weight
  5. current — happening now
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. current — of water
  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