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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. stock — shares
  3. race — humankind
  4. wind — moving air
  5. race — the arms race
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. kick — in football
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — goods
  15. wind — moving air
  16. face — to confront
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lie — to recline
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wind — to turn a key

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