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: foot · hand · mug · race · bark · field · stand · fine

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stand — to bear
  5. race — humankind
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — farmland
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hand — help
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. field — for sport
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mug — a face
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fine — all right
  22. hand — in cards
  23. race — a contest
  24. mug — to rob

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