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: lash · saw · can · pitch · racket · kick · rash · spell

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rash — a series
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. spell — magic
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rash — hasty
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — a tin
  18. spell — a short time
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. can — to be able to

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