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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. race — humankind
  4. march — the month
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. race — the arms race
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — a stone
  12. deal — to handle
  13. march — the month
  14. mark — a grade
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. march — music
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mark — a trace
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. branch — a division
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. foot — a measure

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