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

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ground — the earth
  4. drill — the tool
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. track — a path
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. race — the arms race
  10. ground — crushed
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. track — to keep track
  14. snap — to click
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. ground — a position

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