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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chest — of your body
  4. swing — to play on
  5. chest — a box
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. net — in sport
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fall — the season
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. net — after costs
  15. fall — to drop
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. swing — music

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