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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. race — humankind
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. race — the arms race
  8. court — for sport
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. court — of a king
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. charge — a price
  15. race — a contest
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. court — of law
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pitch — completely

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