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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. game — a match
  9. wound — an injury
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — for money
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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