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: branch · object · net · band · charge · coach · court · pit

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — of a king
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. band — a music group
  5. pit — in a race
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pit — a hole
  9. charge — a price
  10. court — for sport
  11. net — in sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. band — a ring
  17. branch — a division
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. court — of law
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pit — a fruit 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