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: ball · can · hand · lash · club · fine · race · land

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. can — a tin
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. race — a contest
  5. land — ground
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. land — to come down
  8. hand — help
  9. fine — high quality
  10. can — to be able to
  11. hand — in cards
  12. club — for golf
  13. fine — all right
  14. ball — a dance
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ball — a great time
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — a group
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. land — a country
  24. race — humankind

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