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: saw · coach · toast · key · rock · mine · pass · fall

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rock — a stone
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. toast — bread
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. fall — to drop
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. key — in music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mine — for digging
  24. key — for a lock

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