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 120 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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. drill — army training
  4. net — in sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. net — for catching
  8. fork — in a road
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — for digging
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. net — after costs
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — the tool

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