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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wind — moving air
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. club — for golf
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bore — to tire
  22. club — a group
  23. pit — a hole
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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