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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. race — the arms race
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. hand — in cards
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. file — a tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. race — humankind
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. hand — help
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ball — a dance
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. file — a document
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — a hole
  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