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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. hand — help
  3. pop — to visit
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cap — of ice
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pop — music
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pass — a permit
  17. craft — a skill
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — soda

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