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: mug · racket · lean · rock · snap · bat · bay · ball

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. snap — to click
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. lean — thin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bay — a horse colour

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