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 · pitch · roll · toast · ball · net · bank · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. tear — to rip
  2. pitch — completely
  3. roll — a list
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. net — in sport
  9. ball — a great time
  10. tear — from crying
  11. net — after costs
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bank — for money
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. tear — from crying
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. roll — a cake
  23. net — for catching
  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