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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bat — the animal
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. band — a ring
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — help
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. race — humankind
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. roll — a list
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pit — a hole
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bank — for money
  21. band — a music group
  22. pit — in a race
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. race — a contest

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