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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. race — the arms race
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. race — a contest
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — thin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. land — to come down
  15. lean — to bend
  16. land — ground
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. content — happy
  19. land — a country
  20. kid — to tease
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pit — a hole
  23. kid — child
  24. content — the amount

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