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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. object — to protest
  4. pop — soda
  5. race — a contest
  6. object — an aim
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — a tool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. race — humankind
  23. object — a thing
  24. temple — a place of worship

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