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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. race — humankind
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. race — the arms race
  10. kick — in football
  11. race — a contest
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — boats
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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