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 · net · jam · mate · stand · race · file · hide

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. net — for catching
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. race — humankind
  7. mate — a partner
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stand — to bear
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. file — a document
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. net — after costs
  19. ground — crushed
  20. net — in sport
  21. race — a contest
  22. ground — a position
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mate — a friend

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