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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. race — humankind
  3. rule — a law
  4. rash — a series
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. staff — employees
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. race — a contest
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. board — to get on
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rule — government
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rush — hurry
  22. board — a committee
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. race — the arms race

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