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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — the arms race
  4. track — to keep track
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. shower — rain
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. track — a song
  13. plane — a tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. track — a path
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. patient — a sick person

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