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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. race — the arms race
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. race — a contest
  5. ground — a position
  6. ball — a dance
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ground — crushed
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — to tease
  11. face — to confront
  12. race — humankind
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. face — to point toward
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ball — a great time
  22. kid — child
  23. foot — a measure
  24. date — the fruit

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