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: perch · current · nail · bowl · rush · rash · net · race

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. net — for catching
  4. rash — hasty
  5. current — happening now
  6. race — humankind
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — a series
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. net — in sport
  11. race — the arms race
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. current — of water
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. net — after costs
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. race — a contest
  24. rush — hurry

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