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

Word bank: rule · arm · bay · race · cap · press

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rule — government
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. press — to push
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. press — a publisher
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cap — a lid
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice

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