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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kick — in football
  8. race — the arms race
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. race — humankind
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. snap — to click
  13. can — to be able to
  14. race — a contest
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. row — to paddle
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. row — a line
  20. deal — to handle
  21. can — a tin
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — a big deal

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