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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. race — humankind
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. race — a contest
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bank — of a river
  15. spell — letters
  16. craft — boats
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bank — for money
  20. court — for sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. court — of a king
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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