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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. present — there
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — the season
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. field — a subject
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. present — a gift
  10. fall — the season
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. swing — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fall — to drop
  15. present — the time now
  16. race — humankind
  17. field — farmland
  18. race — a contest
  19. field — for sport
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fall — to drop

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