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: cap · patient · can · row · coach · trunk · kick · cell

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — a phone
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cap — a lid
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. can — to be able to
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cell — in biology
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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