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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — newspapers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. press — to push
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. coach — a trainer

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