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: track · object · bay · coach · pitcher · foot · net · hand

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. track — to keep track
  6. net — in sport
  7. track — a song
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. object — a thing
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. track — a path
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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