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: mark · wave · march · racket · cell · swing · race · club

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — a grade
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cell — in biology
  8. club — for dancing
  9. swing — music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. swing — in golf
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. race — humankind
  16. mark — a trace
  17. swing — to play on
  18. race — a contest
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cell — a phone

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