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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mate — a friend
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mate — a partner
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rule — government
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. track — a path
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a great time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rule — a law
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rest — a break
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mate — to breed

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