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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pass — a permit
  4. hand — in cards
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. saw — the tool
  10. race — humankind
  11. hand — help
  12. clip — a video
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. race — a contest
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cue — a hint

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