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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bore — to tire
  3. spell — magic
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. race — the arms race
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. drill — army training
  8. race — a contest
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. perch — the fish
  11. drill — the tool
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mark — a grade
  14. drill — a practice
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. spell — letters
  17. bore — to drill
  18. press — to push
  19. foot — a measure
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. spell — a short time
  24. foot — part of the body

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