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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. scale — in music
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. scale — size or range
  15. season — of the year
  16. file — a tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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