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: firm · bear · ball · wave · pitcher · key · coach · racket

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. firm — steady
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. key — the most important part
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — in music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ball — a great time

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