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: mug · content · race · track · pass · shower

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. track — a song
  4. race — the arms race
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mug — a face
  7. content — happy
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. track — a path
  10. race — humankind
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. race — a contest
  15. mug — a cup
  16. shower — rain
  17. mug — to rob
  18. content — the amount

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