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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. saw — the tool
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. saw — the tool
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. foot — a measure
  22. race — humankind
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to click

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