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 116 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. race — a contest
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fine — all right
  9. race — humankind
  10. mine — for digging
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fine — high quality
  14. land — to come down
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stock — shares
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. land — a country
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stock — goods
  22. rock — music
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. land — ground

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