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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. staff — a stick
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ground — the earth
  7. track — a path
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. ground — a position
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — employees
  17. shower — rain
  18. key — the most important part
  19. track — to keep track
  20. shower — to wash
  21. staff — employees
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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