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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. race — humankind
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. race — a contest
  18. rock — music
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rock — to move gently

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