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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. race — humankind
  3. firm — decided
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. hand — help
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. staff — a stick
  14. race — the arms race
  15. plane — a tool
  16. firm — a company
  17. row — a line
  18. race — a contest
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. row — to paddle

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