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: sharp · lean · nail · season · rest · mate · rash · racket

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — a friend
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rash — hasty
  11. season — of the year
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. season — in sport
  16. rest — a break
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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