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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. root — the cause
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. tube — a container
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pop — music
  16. root — of a word
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pop — soda
  24. tube — the underground

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