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: cabinet · net · pitcher · coach · court · suit · toast · kick

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. court — for sport
  4. net — in sport
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. suit — to fit
  7. net — after costs
  8. court — of a king
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — bread
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. net — for catching
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. court — of law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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