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: racket · wake · branch · rest · bay · coach · net · roll

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — for catching
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — a break
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rest — what's left
  16. roll — a list
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wake — a trail
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. branch — a division
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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