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: key · pop · coach · lash · pitcher · wake · trunk · fine

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. wake — a trail
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fine — all right
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pop — soda
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fine — high quality
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pop — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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