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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. can — to be able to
  4. capital — money
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. court — of law
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. race — a contest
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. content — the amount
  12. capital — a city
  13. court — for sport
  14. can — a tin
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. court — of a king
  18. can — a tin
  19. craft — a skill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. craft — boats
  23. plane — a tool
  24. content — happy

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