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 116 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: net · race · wave · cap · mark · stick · fan · mug

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cap — a lid
  4. net — for catching
  5. mug — a cup
  6. net — in sport
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mug — a face
  18. race — a contest
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. net — after costs
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mug — to rob
  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