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: wound · coach · plane · track · key · content · suit · net

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. net — for catching
  10. track — a song
  11. plane — a tool
  12. net — after costs
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — the most important part
  15. net — in sport
  16. key — in music
  17. track — a path
  18. wound — an injury
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — to fit
  24. plane — an aircraft

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