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: rock · fall · coach · fork · plane · racket · court · net

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — in sport
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. net — for catching
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fall — to drop
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rock — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fall — the season
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. plane — a tool
  23. net — after costs
  24. court — of a king

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