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: bowl · court · mouse · coach · suit · sharp · racket · chip

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. court — for sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. court — of law
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — clothes
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. suit — to fit
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. court — of a king
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bowl — to roll

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