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: net · mug · bound · ball · pitcher · coach · jam · lash

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. net — for catching
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mug — a face
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ball — a dance
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. mug — a cup
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bound — certain
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a great time
  20. net — in sport
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bound — tied together
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lash — to lash out

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