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 124 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. kid — child
  8. ground — a position
  9. rest — a break
  10. present — there
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. race — humankind
  13. present — the time now
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ground — crushed
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. race — the arms race
  21. roll — a list
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — a hole
  24. roll — a cake

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