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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — the time now
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wind — moving air
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. present — there
  11. bear — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — a committee
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wind — moving air
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. date — the fruit
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. present — a gift
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. board — to get on

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