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: net · sharp · stock · racket · dip · shower · lash · foot

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stock — shares
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. shower — rain
  13. net — after costs
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. shower — to wash
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. sharp — clever
  20. net — for catching
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. net — in sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stock — goods

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