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: cap · rest · ground · lash · bay · racket · key · march

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rest — a break
  6. key — in music
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — a lid
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ground — crushed
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rest — what's left
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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