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 116 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: mate · coach · staff · trunk · pitch · leaves · squash · rest

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mate — to breed
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mate — a partner
  20. staff — employees
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rest — a break
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — lets stay

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