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: coach · can · nail · stand · prune · chip · cabinet · row

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. row — a line
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. can — a tin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. prune — to trim
  23. can — to be able to
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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