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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bank — for money
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. race — humankind
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bank — for money
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bat — the animal
  23. race — a contest
  24. fall — the season

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