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 · lash · march · plane · jam · bulb · racket · game

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. march — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. plane — a tool
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. game — a match
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. march — the month
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. game — a kind of play

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