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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. object — a thing
  4. ground — a position
  5. race — humankind
  6. pit — a hole
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. object — to protest
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. race — a contest
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pit — in a race
  20. ground — the earth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. object — an aim
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. racket — for tennis

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