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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · hide · drill · race · arm · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. race — humankind
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cell — in biology
  7. race — the arms race
  8. drill — a practice
  9. cell — a phone
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ground — the earth
  14. race — a contest
  15. drill — army training
  16. ground — crushed
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — the tool

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