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: bore · race · arm · racket · bank · craft · deal · field

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. craft — a skill
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bank — for money
  6. field — farmland
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. race — a contest
  10. craft — boats
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — to tire
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. field — for sport
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bore — to drill
  24. field — a subject

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