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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. craft — a skill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — to push
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — a contest
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. race — humankind
  12. row — a line
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. press — newspapers
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cap — a hat
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. press — a publisher
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. row — to paddle
  24. hide — animal skin

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