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: key · coach · pitch · bank · craft · stock · date · row

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — for a lock
  5. craft — boats
  6. row — a line
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — goods
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitch — completely
  16. row — to paddle
  17. date — the fruit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stock — shares
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. date — on the calendar

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