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: kick · bass · coach · foot · club · nail · net · board

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. board — a committee
  7. net — after costs
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. net — in sport
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kick — in football
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. net — for catching
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. board — to get on
  24. foot — the bottom

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