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: object · bowl · wound · scale · game · spell · coach · fine

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. spell — letters
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fine — high quality
  18. scale — size or range
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — all right
  21. game — a match
  22. scale — in music
  23. spell — magic
  24. object — to protest

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