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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. firm — decided
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. branch — a division
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. race — a contest
  12. mate — to breed
  13. firm — steady
  14. mate — a friend
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. firm — a company
  17. fine — all right
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. race — the arms race
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. date — the fruit
  22. race — humankind
  23. mate — a partner
  24. branch — of a bank

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