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: cue · net · racket · tube · mate · court · staff · coach

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. mate — a partner
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — in sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. court — for sport
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — of law
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. net — for catching
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a signal
  17. net — after costs
  18. tube — a container
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mate — to breed
  21. staff — a stick
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — a hint

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