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 120 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: content · squash · race · mine · mark · bear · pitch · pass

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mark — a grade
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. content — happy
  12. mine — for digging
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bear — the animal
  23. content — the amount
  24. bear — the animal

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