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 · vault · track · game · rash · pitcher · calf · drill

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. track — to keep track
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. game — a match
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — a practice
  19. track — a path
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. track — a song

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