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: safe · wound · squash · last · bound · race · current · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. last — final
  5. race — a contest
  6. current — of water
  7. bound — tied together
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. race — humankind
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wound — an injury
  13. current — electric
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — to get on
  17. last — to go on
  18. race — the arms race
  19. last — finally
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bound — obliged
  23. current — happening now
  24. squash — the sport

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