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: sharp · coach · bay · spring · present · object · club · mark

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spring — the season
  6. present — a gift
  7. sharp — clever
  8. object — a thing
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. club — for golf
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spring — of water
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. present — there
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mark — a grade
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. club — for dancing
  19. present — the time now
  20. club — a group
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. object — an aim
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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