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: mark · can · nail · club · coach · stick · bound · chair

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bound — obliged
  8. club — for golf
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mark — a trace
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. club — a group
  14. chair — a leader
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. can — to be able to
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bound — certain
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — a tin

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