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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. swing — in golf
  4. tear — to rip
  5. club — for golf
  6. kick — in football
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. club — a group
  14. suit — in cards
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. tear — from crying
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. game — a match
  24. suit — to fit

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