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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. band — a ring
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. court — of law
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bark — to shout
  20. court — for sport
  21. band — a music group
  22. court — of a king
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bark — of a tree

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