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: race · racket · object · swing · mark · file · band · dip

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. race — a contest
  4. file — a tool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. swing — in golf
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. swing — music
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. file — a document
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mark — a trace
  16. dip — to sink
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a line of people
  19. object — to protest
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. race — humankind

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