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: pit · mug · bark · rock · net · lash · field · racket

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rock — music
  7. bark — to shout
  8. net — in sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. net — after costs
  16. field — a subject
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. net — for catching
  21. rock — a stone
  22. field — for sport
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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