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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. spell — magic
  3. swing — to play on
  4. spell — letters
  5. mine — for digging
  6. race — the arms race
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. swing — in golf
  9. race — a contest
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. swing — music
  13. face — to confront
  14. stand — to bear
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spell — a short time
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. race — humankind
  24. suit — in cards

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