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

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. track — to keep track
  3. swing — in golf
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. swing — music
  6. pitch — completely
  7. land — a country
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. swing — to play on
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. foot — a measure
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. track — a path
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a song
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pitch — a sports field

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