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 120 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 · spring · stick · bank · mark · coach · bulb · squash

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spring — of water
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bank — for money
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bank — of a river
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — a grade
  19. spring — the season
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — a trace

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