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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. field — farmland
  3. race — humankind
  4. tube — a container
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cue — for pool
  13. field — for sport
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pit — in a race
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. field — a subject
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pit — a hole
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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