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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. race — a contest
  4. spell — a short time
  5. hand — help
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. race — the arms race
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spell — magic
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. race — humankind
  19. rest — a break
  20. spell — letters
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ruler — for measuring

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