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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rash — a series
  5. last — finally
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wind — moving air
  8. scale — in music
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — clothes
  11. race — a contest
  12. field — a subject
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. last — to go on
  17. rash — hasty
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — to fit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. race — humankind
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. last — final
  24. field — for sport

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