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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bark — to shout
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. race — a contest
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rule — government
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rule — a law
  23. mate — a partner
  24. nail — on a finger

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