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: pitcher · bowl · press · calf · coach · branch · toast · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. press — newspapers
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. toast — bread
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. press — to push
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. toast — the most admired

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