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: ball · perch · fine · leaves · coach · mug · game · pitcher

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mug — a cup
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. fine — all right
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mug — a face
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. game — wild animals
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. leaves — to go away

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