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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. press — to push
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. current — happening now
  8. press — a publisher
  9. current — electric
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. race — humankind
  15. current — of water
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. race — a contest
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bear — the animal

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