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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cue — for pool
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. court — for sport
  9. swing — music
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. swing — to play on
  14. court — of a king
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. board — a committee
  19. row — to paddle
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. board — to get on
  22. chest — a box
  23. court — of law
  24. row — a line

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