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: object · lash · shower · racket · race · rush · track · scale

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. race — a contest
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. race — humankind
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. object — to protest
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. object — a thing
  15. shower — rain
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. race — the arms race
  18. track — to keep track
  19. shower — to wash
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. object — an aim
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  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