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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. race — a contest
  3. track — a path
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. race — the arms race
  6. net — in sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — for money
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — of a river
  12. net — after costs
  13. bank — for money
  14. prune — to trim
  15. race — humankind
  16. prune — to trim
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. plane — a tool
  21. track — a song
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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