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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. race — a contest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. chest — a box
  11. lean — to bend
  12. race — the arms race
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. snap — to click
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pit — in a race
  20. chest — of your body
  21. race — humankind
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pit — a hole
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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