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: land · mouse · nail · mine · race · scale · saw · stem

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. race — the arms race
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. scale — size or range
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mine — belonging to me

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