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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. firm — decided
  3. file — a document
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rest — a break
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pound — a weight
  14. firm — a company
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. firm — steady

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