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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. current — electric
  3. swing — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. land — a country
  6. rock — music
  7. land — ground
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. swing — to play on
  10. land — to come down
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mate — a partner
  18. current — of water
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. swing — in golf
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. current — happening now

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