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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spring — the season
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mark — a grade
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. craft — boats
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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