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: nail · leaves · race · fan · hide · stand · staff · band

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. staff — a stick
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. race — a contest
  8. band — a ring
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. staff — employees
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. band — a music group
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. nail — for a hammer

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