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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ground — a position
  3. race — a contest
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. scale — in music
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. hand — help
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — the earth
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bank — for money
  22. hand — in cards
  23. scale — size or range
  24. cap — a lid

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