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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — in control
  4. present — the time now
  5. hand — in cards
  6. charge — electricity
  7. snap — to click
  8. present — there
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. hand — help
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. charge — a price
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. present — a gift
  22. fall — the season
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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