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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — for pool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. content — the amount
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. content — happy
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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