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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. race — a contest
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — the arms race
  5. fall — the season
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. kid — child
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pitch — completely
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kid — to tease
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — to breed
  19. race — humankind
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. temple — side of the head

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