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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. race — humankind
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fine — all right
  13. field — a subject
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. field — farmland
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. field — for sport
  23. sharp — clever
  24. cue — for pool

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