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: race · game · ground · ball · band · lash · pass · bulb

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. game — wild animals
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. band — a music group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — a position
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ball — a dance
  13. race — humankind
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — a match
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ground — crushed
  20. band — a ring
  21. race — a contest
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pass — to succeed

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