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: coach · foot · mark · ball · pass · net

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — for catching
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. net — after costs
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pass — a permit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. net — in sport

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