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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · cabinet · fork · snap · racket · bat

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. snap — to click
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. net — for catching
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. net — in sport
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. net — after costs
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bat — for baseball

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