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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ground — a position
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mug — to rob
  14. ground — crushed
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. row — a quarrel

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