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 116 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: track · coach · fork · can · pop · game · clip · patient

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. track — to keep track
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — to cut
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — a song
  8. pop — to visit
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pop — soda
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. game — wild animals
  17. track — a path
  18. game — a match
  19. clip — a video
  20. pop — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. patient — a sick person

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