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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — a series
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. snap — to click
  5. can — a tin
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. field — for sport
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. can — to be able to
  12. craft — a skill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. field — a subject
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rash — hasty
  18. field — farmland
  19. cap — of ice
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lash — to lash out

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