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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. scale — in music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spring — a coil
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. spring — of water
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rash — a series
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spring — the season
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rash — on the skin

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