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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. drill — a practice
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — to shout
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. saw — the tool
  12. degree — from a university
  13. drill — army training
  14. season — of the year
  15. race — humankind
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chip — to eat
  18. degree — an amount
  19. race — a contest
  20. degree — temperature
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. season — in sport

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