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: field · roll · staff · toast · spring · object · race · ruler

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. race — a contest
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — employees
  6. race — the arms race
  7. spring — the season
  8. roll — a list
  9. staff — a stick
  10. spring — of water
  11. toast — bread
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. race — humankind
  14. field — for sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. object — a thing
  17. field — farmland
  18. roll — a cake
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. field — a subject
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. object — to protest
  23. spring — a coil
  24. object — an aim

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