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: land · lash · coach · calf · club · pitch · pass · stock

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pitch — completely
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — a group
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. land — a country
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stock — shares
  14. pass — a permit
  15. club — for golf
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. land — ground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. land — to come down
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pass — to succeed

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