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 120 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 · coach · stick · club · hide · bowl · mine · ball

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. season — of the year
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. season — in sport
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. club — for golf
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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