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: rash · race · drill · dip · cabinet · fan · bass · lie

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. race — a contest
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. race — humankind
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rash — a series
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. drill — the tool
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bass — low music
  23. drill — army training
  24. dip — a sauce

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