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: coach · wave · race · firm · rush · sharp · fine · mark

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — steady
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fine — all right
  11. race — a contest
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mark — a trace
  15. race — the arms race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. race — humankind
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. firm — decided
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. firm — a company
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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