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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rock — a stone
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. race — humankind
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. race — the arms race
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. race — a contest
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. toast — bread
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rock — music
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bat — the animal

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