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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. net — for catching
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ball — a dance
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. fine — all right
  12. track — to keep track
  13. net — in sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. net — after costs
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. scale — in music
  24. lash — an eyelash

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