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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fine — all right
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fine — high quality
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — to bear
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. race — the arms race
  12. track — a song
  13. chip — to eat
  14. capital — a city
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. race — humankind
  21. capital — money
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a great time
  24. chip — for betting

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