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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rock — a stone
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. clip — for paper
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. snap — to click
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kid — child
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rock — music
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. clip — a video
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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