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: bulb · track · bore · pitcher · content · coach · object · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — a thing
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. track — a path
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. object — to protest
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. track — a song
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. content — happy
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. content — the amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — for light

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