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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — thin
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wind — moving air
  14. band — a ring
  15. chip — for betting
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. band — a music group
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. chip — to eat
  22. snap — to click
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lean — to bend

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