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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — the earth
  4. race — humankind
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rash — a series
  12. ground — a position
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fall — to drop
  15. race — a contest
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. scale — size or range
  19. race — the arms race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rash — hasty
  24. scale — 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