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: file · perch · bound · coach · snap · racket · date · hide

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. file — a document
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bound — certain
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. snap — to click
  15. bound — obliged
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. file — a tool

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