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: last · mate · leaves · plane · cue · swing · coach · nail

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cue — a signal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mate — a friend
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. swing — in golf
  9. last — finally
  10. cue — for pool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mate — to breed
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mate — a partner
  15. last — final
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. last — to go on
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. swing — music

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