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 116 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rush — hurry
  3. root — the cause
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. land — a country
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stock — shares
  8. root — of a word
  9. race — the arms race
  10. game — wild animals
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. race — humankind
  15. land — to come down
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bank — for money
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stock — goods
  20. bank — of a river
  21. land — ground
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bank — for money

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