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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. race — humankind
  3. root — the cause
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. scale — in music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. root — of a plant
  8. race — a contest
  9. game — a match
  10. cue — for pool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. race — the arms race
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cue — a signal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. root — of a word
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rule — a law
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rule — government

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