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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. snap — to click
  13. mark — a grade
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — army training
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — to be able to
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bat — for baseball

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