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: bulb · racket · plane · nail · pitch · wax · bat · kick

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bat — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — in football
  18. wax — to grow
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitch — completely
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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