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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cue — for pool
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cue — a hint
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. tube — a container
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ball — a great time
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. date — on the calendar

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