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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. bass — low music
  11. march — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. capital — a city
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cap — a hat
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. capital — money
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. row — to paddle
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. wave — with your hand

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