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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. race — a contest
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. capital — a city
  5. last — final
  6. rule — government
  7. race — humankind
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. race — the arms race
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. rule — a law
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. last — finally
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. last — to go on
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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