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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pop — music
  10. race — the arms race
  11. drill — army training
  12. press — newspapers
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. drill — a practice
  17. press — to push
  18. pop — to visit
  19. race — humankind
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. press — a publisher
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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