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: bound · pitcher · pit · key · coach · deal · mark · trunk

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pit — a hole
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bound — tied together
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. deal — to handle
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pit — in a race
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. key — in music

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