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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. race — humankind
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bark — to shout
  7. race — a contest
  8. ground — crushed
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — boats
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ground — a position
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fine — all right
  20. rash — a series
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pit — a hole
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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