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 124 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. race — a contest
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. spring — a coil
  6. chair — a leader
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spring — the season
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. race — humankind
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. spring — of water
  19. board — a committee
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. race — the arms race

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