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: pitcher · net · chair · snap · racket · bulb · trunk · coach

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. net — in sport
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. net — for catching
  10. bulb — for light
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. snap — to click
  13. bulb — for light
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. net — after costs
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chair — a leader
  24. trunk — of a car

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