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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. staff — employees
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — an aim
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. object — to protest
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. object — a thing
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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