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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cold — not warm
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ground — crushed
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. ground — a position
  24. coach — a trainer

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