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: calf · coach · nail · rush · prune · track · pitcher · cue

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cue — for pool
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cue — a hint
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. track — a song
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. track — a path
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cue — a signal

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