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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · club · race · racket · lash · pitch

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. club — for golf
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. club — a group
  12. race — humankind
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. race — a contest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. racket — for tennis

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