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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kick — in football
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. vault — a safe
  10. race — the arms race
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cell — a phone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — to come from
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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