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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — for betting
  9. scale — in music
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — after costs
  24. chip — to eat

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