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 116 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. kid — child
  3. race — humankind
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. press — newspapers
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. press — to push
  8. pit — in a race
  9. press — a publisher
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mine — for digging
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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