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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. net — in sport
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. net — for catching
  8. clip — to cut
  9. net — after costs
  10. clip — for paper
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — of a river
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lie — to recline
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — the earth
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. clip — a video
  21. swing — music
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bank — for money
  24. ground — a position

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