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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. march — the month
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pitch — completely
  6. craft — boats
  7. march — the month
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. march — music
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chest — a box
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — a skill
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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