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: spring · sharp · staff · perch · coach · ball · bank · drill

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. drill — a practice
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — of water
  7. perch — the fish
  8. drill — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bank — for money
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. staff — employees
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ball — a dance
  19. drill — army training
  20. ball — a great time
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bank — of a river
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bank — for money

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