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: drill · chair · coach · staff · object · track · mate · land

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. drill — army training
  5. chair — a leader
  6. mate — a friend
  7. land — a country
  8. staff — employees
  9. object — to protest
  10. mate — a partner
  11. land — ground
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — a path
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mate — to breed
  16. drill — the tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. track — a song
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — an aim
  21. land — to come down
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. staff — employees

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