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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. land — a country
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. press — newspapers
  8. hand — help
  9. scale — size or range
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — to push
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. land — ground
  14. race — a contest
  15. land — to come down
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bound — tied together
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bound — certain
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. press — a publisher
  23. scale — in music
  24. bound — obliged

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