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 116 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: coach · racket · last · vault · fine · rash · game · stick

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. last — to go on
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. last — final
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rash — hasty
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. game — a match
  16. last — finally
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rash — a series
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fine — all right
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. racket — for tennis

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