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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. key — the most important part
  3. court — of law
  4. board — to get on
  5. rash — a series
  6. rule — government
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rule — a law
  11. tube — the underground
  12. key — for a lock
  13. court — of a king
  14. key — in music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. race — humankind
  19. rash — hasty
  20. race — a contest
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. board — a committee
  23. tube — a container
  24. court — for sport

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