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 · stick · season · scale · file · wound · coach · racket

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. race — humankind
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wound — an injury
  10. file — a line of people
  11. wound — an injury
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. file — a tool
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. season — of the year
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. file — a document
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. race — a contest
  24. coach — a trainer

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