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 · mark · fork · mine · swing · fine · roll · spell

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mark — a grade
  3. race — a contest
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fine — high quality
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. spell — magic
  12. mark — a trace
  13. swing — music
  14. race — the arms race
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mine — for digging
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. spell — letters
  24. race — humankind

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