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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. net — for catching
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — after costs
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — in sport

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