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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. firm — steady
  3. race — a contest
  4. row — to paddle
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — decided
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. firm — a company
  11. prune — to trim
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. row — a line
  17. mark — a grade
  18. saw — the tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. race — humankind
  24. patient — a sick person

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