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: straw · board · ruler · race · key · rule · wake · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. race — humankind
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. board — to get on
  7. race — a contest
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rule — government
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. race — the arms race
  14. key — for a lock
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — a company
  18. key — the most important part
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. board — a committee
  22. rule — a law
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. key — in music

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