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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. deal — to handle
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bat — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mate — a partner
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mate — to breed
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. kid — to tease
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fine — high quality

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