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: perch · drill · wound · coach · fan · deal · ball · rush

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. drill — army training
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wound — an injury
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. drill — the tool
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rush — a thrill

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