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 120 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. file — a document
  3. pound — a weight
  4. root — of a plant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wake — a trail
  11. file — a tool
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — a measure
  14. race — a contest
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. club — a group
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. club — for golf
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. club — for dancing
  24. race — the arms race

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