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 120 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: pound · club · firm · race · game · mouse · season · swing

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. game — a match
  4. firm — steady
  5. game — wild animals
  6. club — for golf
  7. season — of the year
  8. swing — to play on
  9. race — a contest
  10. club — a group
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. firm — decided
  17. race — humankind
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. club — for dancing
  20. swing — music
  21. firm — a company
  22. season — in sport
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pound — a weight

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