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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. track — a path
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. staff — employees
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. staff — employees
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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