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: saw · cabinet · pit · cell · present · rash · wound · race

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. present — there
  3. rash — a series
  4. present — a gift
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pit — a hole
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. present — the time now
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wound — an injury

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