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: ground · wound · dip · craft · tube · race · charge · saw

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. craft — a skill
  3. dip — to sink
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — a contest
  7. tube — the underground
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. charge — in control
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ground — a position
  12. race — humankind
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. tube — a container
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ground — the earth
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. craft — boats
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. charge — a price

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