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: ground · race · branch · deal · face · object · nail · mouse

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ground — crushed
  3. face — to point toward
  4. race — a contest
  5. ground — the earth
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. race — humankind
  15. ground — a position
  16. object — to protest
  17. branch — a division
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — an aim
  20. face — to confront
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. object — a thing
  24. nail — on a finger

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