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: cold · drill · scale · coach · swing · can · date · suit

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — in cards
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cold — an illness
  8. scale — size or range
  9. drill — the tool
  10. scale — in music
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. drill — army training
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cold — not warm
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. can — to be able to
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. coach — a trainer

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