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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. staff — employees
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. staff — employees
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. ground — crushed
  15. face — part of the head
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — a position
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ground — the earth
  22. staff — a stick
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lie — to recline

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