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: bear · rush · racket · club · straw · race · bass · pop

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rush — hurry
  5. club — a group
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. race — humankind
  9. bear — the animal
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — low music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. race — a contest
  21. bass — the fish
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. club — for golf
  24. pop — music

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