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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. object — to protest
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. kick — in football
  11. race — a contest
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. race — humankind
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. band — a ring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. race — the arms race
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. band — a music group

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