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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. file — a tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. file — a line of people
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. file — a document
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — high quality
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fine — all right
  18. racket — for tennis

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