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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. race — a contest
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. snap — to click
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. firm — steady
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. firm — decided
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fork — in a road
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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