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: cap · pass · bulb · race · rock · nail · scale · fork

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. scale — size or range
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. scale — in music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rock — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. race — humankind
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cap — a lid
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pass — to succeed

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