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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — certain
  5. race — the arms race
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wind — moving air
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rest — a break
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. branch — a division

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