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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. race — humankind
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rest — what's left
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. deal — to handle
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. racket — for tennis

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