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: season · race · track · bay · racket · key · pound · rest

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — of the year
  7. key — in music
  8. season — in sport
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — a path
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — humankind
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. key — for a lock
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pound — a weight
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — to keep track
  23. key — the most important part
  24. track — a song

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