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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rash — hasty
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. drill — army training
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — to bear

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