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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. object — an aim
  3. race — the arms race
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ground — crushed
  6. race — humankind
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. game — wild animals
  10. squash — the sport
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. squash — to crush
  13. ground — a position
  14. race — a contest
  15. game — a match
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. object — a thing
  18. tube — a container
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. object — to protest
  22. tube — the underground
  23. ground — the earth
  24. game — a kind of play

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