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.
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.
- Have you met the new head ________________?
- I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
- The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
- Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
- Have you found your soul ________________?
- The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
- I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
- Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
- Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
- We had a fire ________________ at school today.
- The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
- He hit the ball with his ________________.
- Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
- A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
- The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
- I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
- The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
- Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com
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