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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mate — a friend
  4. race — a contest
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mate — a partner
  11. race — humankind
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stock — shares
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wind — moving air
  17. vault — a safe
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. wind — moving air
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. nail — for a hammer

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