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 120 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: racket · file · court · march · mouse · kid · craft · lash

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. file — a tool
  3. kid — to tease
  4. file — a document
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. craft — a skill
  8. kid — child
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. march — music
  11. craft — boats
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. court — of law
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. march — the month
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. court — of a king
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. court — for sport
  23. march — the month
  24. racket — for tennis

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