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 120 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. race — the arms race
  4. suit — in cards
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ball — a great time
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. staff — employees
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — to point toward
  14. kid — child
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — in a race
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — humankind
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. staff — a stick

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