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 that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. march — the month
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mug — to rob
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wind — moving air
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. plane — a tool
  18. march — music
  19. rock — music
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rock — a stone
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bore — gave birth

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