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: saw · racket · lash · mouse · rush · straw · date · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. date — the fruit
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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