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: mate · mark · racket · vault · cabinet · arm · race · chest

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mate — to breed
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chest — of your body
  5. race — humankind
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mark — a trace
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. chest — a box
  16. mate — a friend
  17. vault — a safe
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. race — the arms race
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. race — a contest
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — a part of something

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