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 · drill · court · leaves · lash · staff · cabinet · chip

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. court — for sport
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — to eat
  7. drill — the tool
  8. staff — a stick
  9. net — in sport
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — for betting
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — after costs
  15. court — of law
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. net — for catching
  20. court — of a king
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. drill — a practice
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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