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: coach · track · pitcher · swing · snap · rock · hand · bound

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — music
  6. hand — help
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. track — to keep track
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bound — tied together
  13. rock — music
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. track — a path
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. hand — in cards
  22. track — a song
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rock — a stone

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