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 · bat · branch · key · stand · mouse · pitcher · track

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. key — in music
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. key — the most important part
  6. branch — a division
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. track — to keep track
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. track — a song
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bat — the animal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bat — for baseball

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