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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. toast — bread
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bank — for money
  13. hand — help
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bank — of a river
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. hand — in cards
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. net — after costs
  24. rush — hurry

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