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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wake — a trail
  5. charge — in control
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. charge — a price
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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