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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. race — the arms race
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. race — humankind
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — a contest
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bat — the animal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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