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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. race — humankind
  12. game — a match
  13. pitch — completely
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. race — a contest
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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