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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. chest — a box
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — an untruth

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