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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. root — of a word
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mug — a face
  5. race — humankind
  6. mine — for digging
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. root — the cause
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. race — a contest
  12. root — of a plant
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bass — the fish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bass — low music

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