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: nail · lash · court · key · bowl · dip · wound · race

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wound — an injury
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. court — for sport
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. race — a contest
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. key — the most important part
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. key — for a lock
  17. court — of a king
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wound — an injury
  21. race — humankind
  22. court — of law
  23. key — in music
  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