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: court · racket · dip · wave · squash · arm · object · tear

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. squash — to crush
  8. court — of a king
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — of law
  12. object — to protest
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. court — for sport
  21. dip — to sink
  22. object — a thing
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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