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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tear — to rip
  3. race — humankind
  4. bank — of a river
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. capital — money
  7. chip — for betting
  8. tear — from crying
  9. can — to be able to
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a city
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chair — a leader
  19. race — the arms race
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chip — to eat
  23. tear — from crying
  24. race — a contest

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