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: pitcher · saw · craft · net · racket · bay · land · cue

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — boats
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. net — in sport
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. land — ground
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. land — to come down
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cue — a hint
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. land — a country
  24. net — for catching

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