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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — employees
  4. deal — to handle
  5. degree — temperature
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. race — humankind
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. race — a contest
  11. face — to point toward
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. staff — a stick
  16. degree — an amount
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. face — to confront
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. face — part of the head
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. deal — a big deal

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