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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. clip — to cut
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. clip — for paper
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — a video
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — a contest
  15. wind — moving air
  16. race — the arms race
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. plane — a tool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — of a plant

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