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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — a price
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fork — in a road
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ball — a great time
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. race — humankind
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cap — a hat
  18. race — a contest
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — part of the head
  24. drill — a practice

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