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: can · fan · race · face · pop · rule · toast · rest

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. toast — bread
  3. rest — a break
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. face — to confront
  11. rule — a law
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rule — government
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. rest — what's left
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rest — what's left
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. face — part of the head

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