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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fine — all right
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bark — to shout
  7. tube — the underground
  8. race — a contest
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spell — magic
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. race — humankind
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. spell — letters
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. tube — a container
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. spell — a short time

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