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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cue — a signal
  3. tube — a container
  4. race — the arms race
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. cue — a hint
  10. race — humankind
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stock — shares
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stock — goods
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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