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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. present — a gift
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. hand — in cards
  14. band — a music group
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. present — the time now
  19. band — a ring
  20. hand — help
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. present — there

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