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: coach · wound · plane · key · fine · club · kick · face

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fine — high quality
  3. club — for golf
  4. fine — all right
  5. wound — an injury
  6. club — for dancing
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. key — in music
  9. face — part of the head
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. key — the most important part
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. key — for a lock
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — a group
  18. wound — an injury
  19. face — to point toward
  20. kick — in football
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. face — to confront
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. kick — with a leg

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