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: game · stand · race · bass · mouse · mate · key · bark

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. key — in music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. game — a match
  11. race — humankind
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bass — low music
  14. race — a contest
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stand — to bear
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bass — the instrument

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