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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. face — part of the head
  3. object — to protest
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — in football
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. object — an aim
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. object — a thing
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lean — thin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. face — to confront
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wound — an injury
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. face — to point toward

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