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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rule — government
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rule — a law
  11. hand — in cards
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. hand — help
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. race — a contest
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. race — the arms race
  24. row — a line

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