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: lash · racket · ground · scale · roll · straw · mate · bound

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. ground — a position
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mate — to breed
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mate — a friend
  9. scale — size or range
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bound — certain
  13. ground — the earth
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bound — obliged
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. scale — in music
  24. straw — dry grass

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