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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pass — a permit
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. row — a line
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. row — to paddle
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. race — a contest
  22. drill — army training
  23. land — ground
  24. hide — to keep secret

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