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: rush · present · game · foot · arm · stand · race · fall

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fall — the season
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. rush — hurry
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. present — the time now
  13. race — humankind
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stand — to bear
  17. foot — a measure
  18. race — the arms race
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — a contest
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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