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: kick · coach · capital · present · track · calf · fall · ground

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fall — the season
  4. kick — in football
  5. track — a song
  6. present — the time now
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. present — there
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. present — a gift
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. capital — money
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — a city
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. calf — a young animal

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