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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bound — tied together
  5. root — of a word
  6. race — humankind
  7. cap — of ice
  8. chip — to eat
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. root — the cause
  12. spring — a coil
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bound — obliged
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bound — certain
  22. race — a contest
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bark — of a tree

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