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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. staff — a stick
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. craft — boats
  9. staff — employees
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mark — a trace
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. staff — employees
  24. clip — a video

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