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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. row — to paddle
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. row — a line
  9. race — a contest
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rest — what's left
  12. snap — to click
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. rest — a break
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. race — humankind

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