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: fan · jam · toast · cap · fine · track · rush · race

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. track — a song
  3. race — humankind
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. race — the arms race
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cap — a hat
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — bread
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fine — all right
  18. cap — of ice
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. race — a contest
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. track — a path
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rush — hurry

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