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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. race — humankind
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. root — of a word
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. last — final
  8. hand — help
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. last — to go on
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. root — the cause
  14. race — a contest
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hand — in cards
  18. race — the arms race
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. root — of a plant
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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