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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — part of the head
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. present — there
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bass — low music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rush — hurry
  24. present — the time now

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