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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. field — farmland
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bass — the fish
  11. field — for sport
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. race — humankind
  14. branch — a division
  15. field — a subject
  16. race — a contest
  17. rule — a law
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bass — low music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. branch — of a tree

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