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 116 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. game — a match
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. content — the amount
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. content — happy
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. racket — a loud noise

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