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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — to fit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. squash — the sport
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. squash — to crush
  16. staff — employees
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. staff — a stick
  24. club — a group

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