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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. race — a contest
  5. ball — a dance
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fall — the season
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fall — to drop
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. race — humankind
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — a position
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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