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

Word bank: bat · charge · racket · fork · object · safe · rash · straw

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bat — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. charge — a price
  8. object — a thing
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — in control
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. object — to protest
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fork — in a road
  18. object — an aim
  19. rash — a series
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. fork — to eat with

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