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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. pit — a hole
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. scale — in music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bat — for baseball

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