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: bat · mug · mouse · content · pitcher · craft · racket · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. craft — boats
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. mug — a face
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. content — the amount
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. content — happy
  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