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: kid · net · temple · racket · drill · swing · bear · scale

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. net — after costs
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — in music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. scale — size or range
  11. swing — in golf
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. kid — child
  14. swing — music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — army training
  17. net — in sport
  18. kid — to tease
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. net — for catching
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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