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 116 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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. mug — to rob
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mug — a cup
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. stock — shares
  9. race — humankind
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stock — goods
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mug — a face
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lean — to bend
  20. spring — the season
  21. race — a contest
  22. object — to protest
  23. fall — the season
  24. lean — thin

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