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

Word bank: coach · ball · wax · safe · land · fine · racket · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. land — ground
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — to come down
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fine — all right
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — high quality
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. land — a country
  21. wound — an injury
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. racket — for tennis

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