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

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. race — the arms race
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. object — a thing
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. degree — an amount
  9. board — to get on
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. object — to protest
  12. board — a committee
  13. degree — from a university
  14. race — a contest
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. race — humankind
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. degree — temperature
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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