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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fine — all right
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bat — the animal
  10. shower — to wash
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. shower — rain
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lean — thin
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. racket — for tennis

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