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: pound · coach · mug · stick · stock · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mug — to rob
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stock — goods
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stock — shares
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mug — a face

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