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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. track — a song
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. shower — rain
  23. board — a committee
  24. lash — to lash out

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