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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. hand — help
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — letters
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. spell — a short time
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. net — after costs
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spell — magic

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