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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. race — humankind
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fine — high quality
  7. race — a contest
  8. can — a tin
  9. kid — to tease
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fine — all right
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chip — for betting
  15. can — a tin
  16. kid — child
  17. race — the arms race
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. object — an aim
  20. snap — to click
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. object — a thing
  24. fine — a penalty

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