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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. deal — to handle
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. game — a match
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bat — the animal

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