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: net · ball · stem · face · bowl · cue · racket · bound

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. net — in sport
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. face — to confront
  10. bound — certain
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. face — to point toward
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stem — to come from
  24. ball — a round shape

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