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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. race — the arms race
  2. hand — in cards
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — a company
  5. hand — help
  6. shower — to wash
  7. lean — to bend
  8. race — humankind
  9. shower — rain
  10. present — a gift
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. present — there
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pit — a hole
  18. firm — steady
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lean — thin
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. present — the time now
  23. firm — decided
  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