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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. court — for sport
  6. fall — to drop
  7. key — for a lock
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. key — in music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. court — of law
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rash — a series
  19. mate — a friend
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. court — of a king
  22. mate — to breed
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rash — hasty

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