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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. race — humankind
  3. squash — to crush
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — a permit
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. race — a contest
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. craft — boats
  24. squash — the sport

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