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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · mug · last · race · row · stick · firm · branch

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mug — to rob
  4. last — finally
  5. row — to paddle
  6. last — to go on
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. firm — decided
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. race — a contest
  12. mug — a face
  13. last — final
  14. race — humankind
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. row — a line
  18. mug — a cup
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. branch — a division
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. branch — of a bank

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