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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. pit — in a race
  5. race — a contest
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bark — to shout
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. race — humankind
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. root — the cause
  17. file — a tool
  18. root — of a word
  19. file — a document
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. file — a line of people

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