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 120 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: lie · object · net · bat · scale · stick · mouse · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. scale — in music
  5. object — to protest
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. net — after costs
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bat — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. object — an aim
  19. lie — to recline
  20. net — in sport
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. scale — size or range
  24. net — for catching

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