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 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ball — a dance
  3. race — a contest
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wind — moving air
  11. clip — a video
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. race — the arms race
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wind — moving air
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. clip — to cut
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. clip — for paper
  24. lash — an eyelash

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