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: mark · kick · lean · net · bear · race · suit · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. net — after costs
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lean — thin
  7. kick — in football
  8. net — for catching
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. race — the arms race
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mark — a grade
  20. net — in sport
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. race — humankind
  24. mark — a trace

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