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: racket · fan · wave · staff · saw · cell · leaves · wound

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wound — an injury
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cell — in biology
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cell — a phone
  24. saw — the tool

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