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: stick · land · current · clip · hand · rock · mark · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. clip — for paper
  5. land — to come down
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. current — electric
  8. hand — help
  9. clip — a video
  10. mark — a trace
  11. clip — to cut
  12. rock — a stone
  13. land — a country
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. race — a contest
  17. land — ground
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rock — music
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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