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 120 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: rush · coach · pass · wind · key · net · swing · lie

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. swing — music
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. net — in sport
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. key — for a lock
  11. net — for catching
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pass — a permit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rush — hurry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wind — moving air
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lie — an untruth

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