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 120 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 · pitch · mark · hide · trunk · craft · firm · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — boats
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hand — help
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. firm — decided
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mark — a trace
  13. hand — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — completely
  16. firm — steady
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. craft — a skill
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. firm — a company
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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