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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kid — to tease
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. present — there
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — to fit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kid — child

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