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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mark — a grade
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rash — a series
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bark — to shout
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bark — of a tree

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