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 124 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. club — for dancing
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stand — to bear
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pitch — completely
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. club — for golf
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — to crush
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. calf — a young animal

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