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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fall — the season
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. racket — a loud noise

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