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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — completely
  10. wound — an injury
  11. saw — the tool
  12. race — the arms race
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. race — a contest
  15. saw — the tool
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — the month
  21. wound — an injury
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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