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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. band — a ring
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. band — a music group
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cue — for pool
  13. chest — of your body
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chest — a box
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. suit — in cards

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