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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. net — for catching
  2. mark — a trace
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — clothes
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — of the year
  9. net — in sport
  10. suit — in cards
  11. kid — to tease
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. net — after costs
  19. tear — from crying
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. kid — child
  22. mine — for digging
  23. season — in sport
  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