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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. present — there
  6. season — of the year
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. present — a gift
  16. season — in sport
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. season — to add flavour

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