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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. craft — a skill
  5. season — in sport
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. craft — boats
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. tube — the underground
  16. snap — to click
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. scale — size or range
  21. season — of the year
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  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