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: game · current · racket · last · mouse · press · lash · ball

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. current — of water
  3. game — a match
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. last — to go on
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. last — final
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. last — finally
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — electric
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a dance
  22. game — wild animals
  23. press — to push
  24. current — happening now

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