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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. track — to keep track
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. track — a song
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. track — a path
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fine — all right
  16. race — a contest
  17. roll — a list
  18. fine — high quality
  19. race — humankind
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rest — what's left
  24. roll — on a roll

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