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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — a country
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. land — ground
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. track — to keep track
  11. land — to come down
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rock — music
  18. mate — to breed
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. track — a song
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. track — a path
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. mate — a partner

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