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: drill · ruler · coach · key · chair · court · track · rush

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. chair — to sit on
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. track — a song
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. chair — a leader
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. court — for sport
  12. drill — a practice
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. court — of a king
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — army training
  20. court — of law
  21. rush — hurry
  22. track — a path
  23. drill — the tool
  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