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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. suit — clothes
  3. plane — a tool
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. net — for catching
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. net — in sport
  10. shower — rain
  11. spring — of water
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. shower — to wash
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. suit — to fit
  21. spring — the season
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. net — after costs
  24. spring — a coil

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