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: chair · firm · tube · cabinet · chip · drill · race · racket

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. firm — decided
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — to eat
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. tube — the underground
  14. firm — a company
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. race — a contest
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chair — a leader
  20. tube — a container
  21. drill — army training
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. firm — steady
  24. chair — to sit on

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