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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. snap — to click
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bound — certain
  9. race — humankind
  10. march — the month
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. drill — army training
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. march — music
  19. race — a contest
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. march — the month
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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