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: coach · season · perch · craft · pound · key · pitch · temple

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. key — in music
  3. season — in sport
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. craft — boats
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pound — a weight
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. key — the most important part
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. key — for a lock
  24. season — of the year

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