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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rule — a law
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. can — a tin
  5. race — humankind
  6. rule — government
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — steady
  9. row — to paddle
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — the arms race
  14. row — a line
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. race — a contest

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