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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spell — magic
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. spell — letters
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bear — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — a short time

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