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 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.

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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. saw — the tool
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. march — the month
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — a trace
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. shower — to wash
  16. march — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — in control
  21. shower — rain
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mark — a grade
  24. deal — a big deal

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