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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. race — a contest
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. rock — music
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bound — certain
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. firm — a company
  11. game — a match
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bound — tied together
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. race — humankind
  24. craft — boats

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