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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. chest — a box
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. swing — in golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. swing — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. chest — of your body
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. ruler — a monarch

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