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: pop · last · hand · band · coach · bay · stick · racket

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pop — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. last — finally
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pop — soda
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. band — a music group
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. last — final
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. last — to go on
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pop — to visit
  21. band — a ring
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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