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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pop — music
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mug — to rob
  7. present — a gift
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. present — there
  10. mug — a cup
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pop — to visit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — a contest
  15. pop — soda
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mug — a face
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — the time now
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. race — the arms race
  24. trunk — of a car

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