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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. key — for a lock
  3. race — the arms race
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. race — a contest
  7. present — the time now
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. present — there
  10. race — humankind
  11. shower — rain
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — a law
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. shower — to wash
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. key — the most important part
  24. present — a gift

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