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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mark — a trace
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — for sport
  17. race — a contest
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. court — of a king
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. court — of law
  23. pass — a permit
  24. race — humankind

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