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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — a contest
  3. rush — hurry
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pass — a permit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hand — help
  12. snap — to click
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. race — humankind
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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