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: track · stock · rash · pitcher · staff · race · nail · present

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — there
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. track — a song
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. race — a contest
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. present — the time now
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. staff — a stick
  21. track — a path
  22. rash — a series
  23. present — a gift
  24. race — the arms race

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