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: present · cell · dip · racket · wake · spring · wound · pitch

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. spring — the season
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. cell — in biology
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. present — the time now
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cell — a phone
  17. present — a gift
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitch — completely
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. present — there
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. spring — of water

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