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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. root — the cause
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. race — humankind
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — a contest
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. board — to get on
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. root — of a word
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. race — the arms race
  22. board — a committee
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mine — belonging to me

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