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: racket · pound · club · race · bowl · mouse · pass · toast

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. race — a contest
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — the arms race
  12. club — a group
  13. race — humankind
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pass — a permit
  20. toast — bread
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pound — to hit hard

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