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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — clothes
  4. last — to go on
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. last — final
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — finally
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. swing — in golf
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. snap — to click
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bat — the animal
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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