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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a song
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — the earth
  8. season — of the year
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — a path
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rush — hurry
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cue — a signal
  16. season — in sport
  17. cue — for pool
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ground — a position
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ground — crushed
  23. cue — a hint
  24. track — to keep track

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