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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bear — the animal
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. key — the most important part
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. chip — for betting
  11. shower — rain
  12. bat — the animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. race — a contest
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. kick — with a leg
  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