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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. charge — a price
  3. bat — the animal
  4. race — humankind
  5. charge — in control
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. race — a contest
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. saw — the tool

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