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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. race — humankind
  10. kick — in football
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mark — a trace
  13. race — a contest
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. shower — rain
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bat — the animal
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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