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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. bound — certain
  3. race — humankind
  4. staff — a stick
  5. race — the arms race
  6. kid — child
  7. present — the time now
  8. content — happy
  9. race — a contest
  10. staff — employees
  11. present — there
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. kid — to tease
  16. staff — employees
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — in a race
  20. present — a gift
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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