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

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. sharp — clever
  8. scale — size or range
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — in music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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