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: hand · lie · field · track · jam · rash · lash · racket

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lie — to recline
  3. track — a path
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. field — for sport
  6. track — a song
  7. rash — a series
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — to keep track
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hand — help
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rash — on the skin

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