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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rash — hasty
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stand — to bear
  15. season — of the year
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — a series
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. season — in sport
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stand — on your feet

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