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: deal · pitch · net · craft · mate · lash · hand · rash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. net — after costs
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. net — in sport
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. deal — to handle
  12. net — for catching
  13. hand — in cards
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. hand — help
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mate — a friend
  24. craft — boats

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