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 · mug · mouse · net · track · race · wake · cell

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. race — a contest
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. net — for catching
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. track — a song
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mug — to rob
  10. track — a path
  11. mug — a face
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. net — after costs
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. race — humankind
  20. wake — a trail
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cell — a phone
  23. net — in sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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