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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spell — a short time
  4. race — humankind
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. spell — letters
  9. root — the cause
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bulb — for light
  14. race — a contest
  15. root — of a word
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. spell — magic
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — for light
  20. race — the arms race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stock — shares

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