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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wind — moving air
  3. present — a gift
  4. mate — to breed
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. content — happy
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mug — a face
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mug — a cup
  20. present — the time now
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. present — there

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