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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. race — humankind
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. race — a contest
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — to keep track
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. race — the arms race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. dip — to sink
  17. row — a line
  18. track — a song
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chip — to eat
  23. track — a path
  24. nail — for a hammer

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