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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mark — a trace
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. scale — size or range
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. hand — help
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. staff — a stick
  11. net — in sport
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. net — after costs
  14. staff — employees
  15. mark — a grade
  16. scale — in music
  17. net — for catching
  18. scale — for weighing

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