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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. race — the arms race
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bank — for money
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — to come from
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rush — hurry

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