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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. race — a contest
  4. ground — a position
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. object — a thing
  7. ground — crushed
  8. present — a gift
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. present — there
  12. object — an aim
  13. race — the arms race
  14. present — the time now
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — the amount
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rash — a series
  19. hand — help
  20. ground — the earth
  21. content — happy
  22. object — to protest
  23. race — humankind
  24. rash — hasty

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