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: pass · roll · rash · bank · pitcher · spring · fork · coach

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. roll — a list
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bank — for money
  22. rash — a series
  23. roll — a cake
  24. coach — a trainer

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