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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. key — the most important part
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. key — in music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. current — happening now
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stem — of a plant

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