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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. 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. saw — the tool
  2. rest — a break
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mate — a friend
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wake — a trail
  24. 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