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: sharp · pitcher · drill · mate · saw · rest · race · press

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. race — humankind
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. drill — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rest — what's left
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rest — a break
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mate — a partner
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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