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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. net — for catching
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. net — in sport
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. net — after costs

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