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: wound · pit · squash · kid · key · bay · swing · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. kid — child
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. kid — to tease
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wound — an injury
  16. swing — in golf
  17. squash — to crush
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. swing — music
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. key — the most important part
  24. swing — to play on

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