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: wave · bound · bass · racket · chest · race · kick · spell

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. bass — the fish
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. spell — magic
  6. chest — a box
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chest — of your body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bass — low music
  13. chest — of your body
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bound — obliged
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. race — a contest
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bound — certain
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. kick — in football

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