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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. race — the arms race
  3. present — the time now
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. race — humankind
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cap — of ice
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cap — a lid
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. snap — to click
  19. race — a contest
  20. present — there
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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