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 116 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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. drill — a practice
  3. track — to keep track
  4. craft — boats
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wake — a trail
  9. club — a group
  10. craft — a skill
  11. track — a path
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. drill — the tool
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. drill — army training
  18. track — a song
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fan — a supporter

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