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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. press — to push
  3. bound — obliged
  4. race — humankind
  5. face — part of the head
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. race — a contest
  10. face — to confront
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — to tire
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bore — to drill
  21. face — to point toward
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. snap — to click
  24. fork — to eat with

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