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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. land — to come down
  5. race — a contest
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — to get on
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. race — the arms race
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. race — humankind
  20. board — a committee
  21. land — a country
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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