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 · bay · current · net · lean · shower · prune · pop

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. race — a contest
  7. pop — soda
  8. net — for catching
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. net — in sport
  14. shower — to wash
  15. current — electric
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. current — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lean — to bend
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. net — after costs
  24. prune — to trim

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