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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · racket · coach · firm · ball · foot

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tube — a container
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. ball — a dance
  9. tube — the underground
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — steady
  15. ball — a great time
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body

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