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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. field — for sport
  3. rest — what's left
  4. firm — a company
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — decided
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. field — a subject
  12. race — a contest
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. branch — a division
  16. rest — a break
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — humankind
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. snap — to click
  21. field — farmland
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fall — the season
  24. firm — steady

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