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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. lie — to recline
  4. race — a contest
  5. current — of water
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — happening now
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. race — the arms race
  16. current — electric
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. race — humankind
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — to put up with

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