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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rash — a series
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. swing — music
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lie — to recline
  23. swing — to play on
  24. dip — to sink

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