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: date · club · race · staff · racket · bay

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. club — for dancing
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — a group
  6. race — humankind
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. staff — employees
  11. race — a contest
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. club — for golf

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