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 116 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 · net · fine · stem · swing · pop · lash · calf

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pop — music
  3. swing — music
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. net — after costs
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. net — in sport
  11. pop — to visit
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fine — all right
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. swing — to play on
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pop — soda
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fine — high quality
  22. swing — in golf
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stem — a stem cell

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