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 116 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: tube · saw · coach · cap · mate · club · kid · pitch

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. club — a group
  7. saw — the tool
  8. kid — to tease
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tube — a container
  15. club — for golf
  16. cap — a hat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. kid — child
  20. mate — a partner
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cap — of ice
  24. coach — a trainer

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