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: hide · racket · scale · bore · mark · coach · roll · season

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. roll — a cake
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bore — to drill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. scale — in music
  8. season — in sport
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mark — a trace
  24. season — of the year

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