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 120 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. race — humankind
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. field — a subject
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pound — a weight
  10. mug — a face
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lean — to bend
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — a cup
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. lean — thin

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