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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. race — a contest
  3. tube — the underground
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. deal — to handle
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. race — humankind
  12. spring — of water
  13. chip — for betting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tube — a container
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. chip — to eat
  19. spring — the season
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. spring — a coil
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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