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: face · chip · net · ball · racket · club · rash · hide

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. net — in sport
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. club — for golf
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rash — hasty
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. net — after costs
  14. face — to confront
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a dance
  17. net — for catching
  18. club — for dancing
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. club — a group
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rash — a series

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