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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. key — in music
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. key — for a lock
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. key — the most important part
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. shower — to wash
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pass — a permit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. clip — to cut
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. shower — rain
  24. squash — the sport

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