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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. race — the arms race
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. race — a contest
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. season — of the year
  10. race — humankind
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mark — a trace
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitch — completely
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — a grade

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