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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. face — to confront
  3. shower — to wash
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. chip — to eat
  7. net — for catching
  8. shower — rain
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wax — to grow
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. net — after costs
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cabinet — ministers

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