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: foot · spring · bass · club · race · snap · suit · current

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — to fit
  7. club — for dancing
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. current — electric
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. club — a group
  12. snap — to click
  13. current — happening now
  14. bass — the fish
  15. race — humankind
  16. foot — a measure
  17. spring — of water
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. club — for golf
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bass — low music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. race — a contest

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