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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. rule — a law
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. race — humankind
  6. rule — government
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — for money
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. roll — a list
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. race — the arms race
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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