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: racket · chest · straw · saw · coach · drill · mouse · fine

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. chest — a box
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. drill — a practice
  10. chest — of your body
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — high quality
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chest — of your body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — army training
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fine — all right
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — a straw man

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