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: race · fine · mine · mug · rush · firm · tube · kid

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — all right
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kid — child
  14. race — a contest
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. firm — decided
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. firm — a company
  23. race — humankind
  24. firm — steady

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