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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. march — the month
  3. bat — the animal
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. present — a gift
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — to bear
  16. race — humankind
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. march — music
  19. present — the time now
  20. race — a contest
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. present — there
  23. shower — to wash
  24. march — the month

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