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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. club — for golf
  3. scale — in music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. drill — the tool
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mug — to rob
  8. drill — army training
  9. club — for dancing
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mug — a face
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — a group
  22. scale — size or range
  23. race — humankind
  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