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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mark — a grade
  7. net — after costs
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. kick — in football
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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