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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rock — music
  7. sharp — clever
  8. season — in sport
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chest — of your body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. date — the fruit
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. racket — for tennis

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