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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. drill — the tool
  4. court — of a king
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. clip — a video
  14. court — of law
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. clip — for paper
  17. court — for sport
  18. drill — army training
  19. stand — to bear
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. straw — dry grass

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