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: season · chip · wake · racket · drill · mouse · rest · pitcher

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — a trail
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rest — a break
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rest — what's left
  11. season — in sport
  12. drill — army training
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rest — what's left
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. season — of the year
  24. mouse — the animal

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