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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lean — thin
  5. track — a song
  6. race — the arms race
  7. track — a path
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chest — a box
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a dance
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. race — a contest
  21. tube — a container
  22. land — to come down
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — to keep track

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