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: press · vault · racket · bat · wave · mine · bulb · coach

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. press — a publisher
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. press — to push
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bat — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. wave — of the sea

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