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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — humankind
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. charge — a price
  7. last — final
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — in control
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. charge — electricity
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. last — to go on
  17. race — the arms race
  18. last — finally
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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