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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. band — a music group
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. plane — a tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — magic
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. spell — letters
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. band — a ring
  22. spell — a short time
  23. race — humankind
  24. staff — employees

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