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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mug — a face
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — a contest
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. firm — steady
  9. race — humankind
  10. firm — decided
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. firm — a company
  15. race — the arms race
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mug — a cup
  18. tube — a container
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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