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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. squash — to crush
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. can — a tin
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wound — an injury
  8. shower — rain
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — to play on
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. can — to be able to
  14. swing — music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mug — a face
  17. squash — the sport
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rock — music
  21. mug — a cup
  22. can — a tin
  23. shower — to wash
  24. squash — the vegetable

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