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: jam · rock · drill · date · race · ground · sharp · bowl

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ground — the earth
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ground — crushed
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. race — the arms race
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. race — a contest
  15. ground — a position
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. date — the fruit
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  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