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: coach · plane · sharp · shower · wind · mug · pass · bulb

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. shower — rain
  6. mug — a cup
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wind — moving air
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pass — a permit

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