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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. court — of law
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. firm — steady
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. mug — a face
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — humankind
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mug — to rob
  21. firm — decided
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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