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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bound — certain
  4. spell — a short time
  5. race — humankind
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cue — a signal
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. race — a contest
  12. sharp — clever
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cue — for pool
  18. spell — magic
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bat — the animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. cue — a hint

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