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 120 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: wind · tube · race · foot · file · rock · suit · rush

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rock — music
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. file — a tool
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a line of people
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wind — moving air
  17. tube — a container
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. suit — in cards
  21. race — a contest
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. tube — in a tire

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