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 120 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stock — goods
  4. charge — a price
  5. club — a group
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cue — for pool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. club — for golf
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cue — a hint
  16. race — humankind
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. race — the arms race
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stock — shares
  22. charge — in control
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cold — an illness

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