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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. race — the arms race
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fall — to drop
  7. spell — letters
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — magic
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — a short time
  14. mark — a trace
  15. race — humankind
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fall — the season
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. race — a contest
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. hide — animal skin

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