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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. race — a contest
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rush — hurry
  5. face — to confront
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. root — the cause
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — a company
  12. object — to protest
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — steady
  16. face — to point toward
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. race — humankind
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. race — the arms race
  22. face — part of the head
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — an aim

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