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

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mug — to rob
  5. swing — music
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chip — to eat
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. swing — to play on
  16. capital — money
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. capital — a city
  19. chip — for betting
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. swing — in golf
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a great time
  24. foot — a measure

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