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: fall · kick · arm · race · cap · saw · jam · stand

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. race — the arms race
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. race — humankind
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. race — a contest
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fall — the season
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. kick — in football
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fall — to drop
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cap — of ice
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. cap — a hat
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. kick — with a leg

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