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: object · pop · ball · kid · track · press · coach · cabinet

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a great time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — music
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pop — to visit
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. object — to protest
  16. pop — soda
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. object — a thing
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. kid — child
  21. track — a song
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ball — a dance
  24. press — to push

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