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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wind — moving air
  4. clip — for paper
  5. key — in music
  6. clip — a video
  7. wind — moving air
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a music group
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — to handle
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — a contest
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. band — a ring
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. suit — clothes
  24. clip — to cut

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