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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. race — humankind
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. roll — a list
  5. race — the arms race
  6. net — for catching
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. race — a contest
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. ball — a great time
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bark — to shout
  14. key — in music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. net — after costs
  18. key — for a lock
  19. net — in sport
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitch — completely
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. roll — a cake
  24. arm — a part of something

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