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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ground — a position
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fine — all right
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mark — a trace
  10. last — finally
  11. current — electric
  12. last — final
  13. current — of water
  14. fine — high quality
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. current — happening now
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. ground — crushed
  22. last — to go on
  23. race — a contest
  24. ground — the earth

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