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: net · coach · board · wound · calf · bound · club · root

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. club — a group
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. root — of a word
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. club — for golf
  10. root — the cause
  11. wound — an injury
  12. root — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — obliged
  17. board — a committee
  18. club — for dancing
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bound — certain
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. calf — a young animal

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