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: root · wind · board · safe · current · tear · club · mouse

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — to get on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. current — of water
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. root — of a word
  10. current — happening now
  11. club — a group
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. wind — moving air
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tear — to rip
  21. wind — moving air
  22. root — the cause
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. tear — from crying

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