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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. race — humankind
  5. net — for catching
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ball — a great time
  8. degree — from a university
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — a face
  12. race — a contest
  13. mug — a cup
  14. net — after costs
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — a safe
  17. degree — an amount
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. degree — temperature
  24. hide — to keep secret

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