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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cell — in biology
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ground — a position
  5. net — for catching
  6. bank — for money
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. net — in sport
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. net — after costs
  12. cell — a phone
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ground — crushed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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