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: pound · file · fork · pitch · cue · trunk · coach · game

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. file — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. game — wild animals
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. game — a match
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. file — a document
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. file — a line of people
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cue — a hint
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. cue — for pool

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