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: field · pit · last · race · degree · deal · net · lie

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. deal — to handle
  3. race — the arms race
  4. net — in sport
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. net — after costs
  7. field — for sport
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. race — humankind
  12. net — for catching
  13. last — final
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. degree — from a university
  16. last — finally
  17. field — farmland
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — a contest
  20. lie — to recline
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — an amount
  23. field — a subject
  24. last — to go on

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