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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. race — humankind
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — a company
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. race — the arms race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rock — music
  23. march — music
  24. race — a contest

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