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: cap · shower · pitcher · key · hide · date · coach · mark

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — a grade
  18. key — the most important part
  19. date — the fruit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. shower — rain
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — in 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