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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. firm — decided
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to click
  13. suit — to fit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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