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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. row — a line
  13. plane — a tool
  14. date — the fruit
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. row — to paddle
  20. toast — bread
  21. mine — for digging
  22. race — a contest
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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