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: mouse · game · suit · racket · lash · bark · wound · wake

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bark — to shout
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wake — a trail
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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