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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. firm — steady
  3. pop — soda
  4. last — finally
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — decided
  9. plane — a tool
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. firm — a company
  12. wind — moving air
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. last — to go on
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. last — final
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — bread
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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