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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. content — the amount
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. shower — rain
  6. race — a contest
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. content — happy
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pass — a permit
  21. race — humankind
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pitch — a sports field

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