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 · nail · coach · press · wax · craft · wound · fine

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. fine — all right
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — boats
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fine — high quality
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. craft — a skill
  15. press — newspapers
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. press — to push
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wound — an injury
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — for sculpting

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