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: face · pitch · craft · root · calf · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. face — part of the head
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. race — the arms race
  5. root — the cause
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. craft — boats
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. race — humankind
  17. pitch — completely
  18. root — of a word

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