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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. race — humankind
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. capital — a city
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. capital — money
  11. row — to paddle
  12. race — a contest
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wake — a trail
  16. craft — boats
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. row — a line
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. racket — a loud noise

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