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: bay · fall · mouse · arm · deal · jam · race · tear

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tear — from crying
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. race — humankind
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tear — to rip
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. race — a contest
  24. jam — in traffic

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