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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — humankind
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — certain
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. race — a contest
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stand — to bear
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bound — obliged
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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