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 120 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. staff — employees
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rash — a series
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ball — a dance
  24. perch — for a bird

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