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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — in cards
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — wild animals
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — clothes
  12. game — a match
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. hide — to keep secret

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