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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. race — humankind
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. race — the arms race
  13. charge — in control
  14. race — a contest
  15. spring — the season
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. charge — a price
  19. spring — of water
  20. rush — hurry
  21. spring — a coil
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cue — a signal

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