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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. scale — size or range
  3. spell — a short time
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. spell — magic
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. row — to paddle
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. spell — letters
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. tube — a container
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — in music
  23. row — a line
  24. tube — the underground

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