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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. net — for catching
  5. race — a contest
  6. bass — the fish
  7. track — a path
  8. pass — a permit
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. track — to keep track
  12. net — after costs
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bass — low music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. race — humankind
  19. roll — a cake
  20. track — a song
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. roll — a list
  23. net — in sport
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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