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: drill · coach · safe · firm · racket · season · leaves · game

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. season — of the year
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. game — wild animals
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — a company
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — in sport
  14. drill — a practice
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. firm — steady
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. drill — army training
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. firm — decided
  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