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: rule · race · saw · hand · sharp · march · mug · content

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rule — government
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. race — humankind
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. sharp — clever
  10. content — happy
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. race — a contest
  16. content — the amount
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. hand — help
  19. rule — a law
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mug — a face
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mug — a cup
  24. march — the month

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