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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chest — of your body
  4. kick — in football
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pit — in a race
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. race — humankind
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rest — a break
  24. race — a contest

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