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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pit — in a race
  13. shower — rain
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. court — of law
  18. shower — to wash
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. court — of a king
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. court — for sport

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