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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pop — soda
  6. race — humankind
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. present — the time now
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. race — a contest
  19. pop — music
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. drill — army training
  24. bat — the animal

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