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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. tube — the underground
  3. race — humankind
  4. net — for catching
  5. swing — music
  6. net — in sport
  7. band — a music group
  8. cue — for pool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. band — a ring
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. race — a contest
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. cue — a signal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. net — after costs
  20. swing — in golf
  21. cue — a hint
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — to play on
  24. deal — to handle

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