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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chest — a box
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chest — of your body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. saw — the tool
  10. race — a contest
  11. bore — to tire
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. race — humankind
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chest — of your body
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rush — hurry
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rush — to hurry

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