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: season · bound · drill · coach · fine · wake · deal · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bound — certain
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bound — tied together
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. drill — army training
  11. season — of the year
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. drill — a practice
  14. deal — to handle
  15. season — in sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bound — obliged
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. drill — the tool
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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