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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. craft — a skill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. season — of the year
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. prune — to trim
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. prune — to trim
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. safe — out of danger

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