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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wound — an injury
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. board — to get on
  6. ground — the earth
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. swing — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wound — an injury
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. race — humankind
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ground — crushed
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. board — a committee
  21. ground — a position
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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