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 120 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 · pass · can · club · cell · pitcher · sharp · firm

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — a company
  4. club — for golf
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cell — in biology
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pass — a permit
  11. club — a group
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. can — a tin
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — clever
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. can — to be able to
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. firm — steady
  24. pitcher — in 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