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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. track — a path
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. track — a song
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fine — all right
  16. chair — a leader
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fine — high quality
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. track — to keep track
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rush — hurry
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. shower — rain

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