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 120 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 · track · lash · stand · root · march · race · fan

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. track — a path
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. track — to keep track
  10. root — the cause
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mug — a face
  13. march — the month
  14. race — the arms race
  15. march — the month
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. march — music
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. root — of a word
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. root — of a plant
  24. track — a song

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