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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. key — in music
  7. cue — for pool
  8. net — after costs
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a committee
  11. bass — the fish
  12. key — the most important part
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — a signal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. key — for a lock
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bass — low music
  22. board — to get on
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. branch — a division

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