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: game · sharp · bear · race · object · suit · tube · season

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. race — humankind
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. tube — a container
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. object — to protest
  9. tube — the underground
  10. object — a thing
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. season — of the year
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. sharp — clever
  17. race — a contest
  18. game — a match
  19. suit — in cards
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. race — the arms race

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