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 116 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 · craft · bay · straw · racket · race · saw · mug

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mug — to rob
  3. race — a contest
  4. craft — a skill
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mug — a face
  7. track — to keep track
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. track — a song
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mug — a cup
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — humankind
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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