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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. spell — magic
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mug — to rob
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. hand — help
  12. drill — army training
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bear — the animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. spell — letters

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