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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — a group
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. net — in sport
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. net — after costs
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hand — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. net — for catching
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. race — the arms race
  16. club — for dancing
  17. deal — to handle
  18. drill — a practice
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. club — for golf
  22. drill — the tool
  23. hand — help
  24. drill — army training

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