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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — of a river
  4. race — humankind
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bank — for money
  14. kick — in football
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. swing — music
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rule — a law
  24. kick — a thrill

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