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 120 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: kick · content · race · pit · lash · face · root · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. race — the arms race
  3. content — happy
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. root — of a word
  8. kick — in football
  9. content — the amount
  10. face — to confront
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pop — music
  14. root — the cause
  15. race — humankind
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pop — to visit
  21. race — a contest
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pit — a hole
  24. face — to point toward

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