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: mark · race · bowl · safe · lie · press · drill · fork

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. drill — army training
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. drill — a practice
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lie — to recline
  13. press — to push
  14. race — humankind
  15. mark — a grade
  16. drill — the tool
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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