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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chest — a box
  7. snap — to click
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — to bend
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chest — of your body
  14. shower — rain
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rush — hurry
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. lean — thin
  22. chest — of your body
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lean — to rest against

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