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: bass · lash · rule · net · date · board · coach · track

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. net — in sport
  8. date — the fruit
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. board — a committee
  11. track — a song
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — to keep track
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rule — government
  18. track — a path
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. rule — a law
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bass — low music

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