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: rash · race · roll · mate · face · jam · present · firm

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. present — there
  3. firm — a company
  4. present — a gift
  5. race — a contest
  6. face — to confront
  7. rash — a series
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. race — humankind
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — to point toward
  12. race — the arms race
  13. firm — steady
  14. roll — a cake
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. roll — a list
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. face — part of the head
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — decided
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rash — hasty

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