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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fall — the season
  5. bound — obliged
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pitch — completely
  16. file — a document
  17. cue — for pool
  18. file — a tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bound — certain
  24. fall — to drop

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