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: cabinet · cold · coach · object · jam · racket · key · press

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. object — an aim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cold — an illness
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — a thing
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. press — to push
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cold — not warm
  18. key — in music
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — to protest
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. press — a publisher

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