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: race · game · kid · face · ruler · dip

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. race — the arms race
  10. kid — child
  11. face — part of the head
  12. dip — to sink
  13. face — to confront
  14. race — humankind
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. race — a contest
  18. face — to point toward

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