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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bore — to tire
  4. race — a contest
  5. march — the month
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. object — to protest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. march — the month
  10. last — finally
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. bore — to drill
  14. tube — the underground
  15. march — music
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. last — final
  19. firm — a company
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. race — humankind
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. last — to go on

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