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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bore — to tire
  3. band — a music group
  4. race — the arms race
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. track — a song
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. land — to come down
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. land — ground
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bore — to drill
  18. track — a path
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. band — a ring
  22. land — a country
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. track — to keep track

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