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: hide · racket · craft · race · rock · stand · wound · temple

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rock — music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. race — a contest
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. race — the arms race
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. craft — boats
  24. hide — animal skin

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