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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cue — for pool
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cue — a signal
  12. season — in sport
  13. rock — music
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. spell — letters
  17. pitch — completely
  18. season — of the year
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. spell — magic
  21. rock — a stone
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pitch — a sports field

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