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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. race — a contest
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cap — a hat
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cap — a lid
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. drill — a practice
  21. press — to push
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. press — a publisher

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