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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. race — humankind
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rash — hasty
  8. net — after costs
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rest — a break
  13. race — a contest
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rash — a series
  20. net — in sport
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. net — for catching
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lash — an eyelash

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